


The Last Human

by Kathanazius



Category: DCU, DCU (Comics), Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, F/M, Fantasy, Loss of Virginity, Maledom, Maledom/Femsub, Porn With Plot, Robots, Superheroes, Supervillains, Vigilantism, World Domination
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-02
Updated: 2018-06-27
Packaged: 2019-05-17 10:00:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14830169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kathanazius/pseuds/Kathanazius
Summary: Ray Pierre is the last human in all the universe, able to command a vast quantity of machines that obey his every will and command. He decides to enter the multiverse.





	1. Alone

The summer noon was dark, damp, and cold. Many things moved in both the distance and nearby, greatly varying in size from mice to mountains, but only one thing was warm—a young, handsome, olive-skinned, red-eyed man, barely past 18 if judged by his appearance. He was tall and toned, with a lean body compacted with muscle. His abyssal hair was cut short and mostly swept back, excluding a few rebellious, silky strands. He wore a black, classical suit as he stood near a railing along the roof of a building that towered over those nearby, the view something admirable. The man's name was Ray Pierre, and he was the only thing that breathed.

A bench rested nearby, a body sitting atop it. The body looked too flawless to be human—a stunningly-beautiful, unblemished, fair woman with long, silken red hair and icy-blue eyes. The body was quite voluptuous with womanly hips and double D breasts. However, the body did not stir even as the moments passed. It was a machine, a very human one at that, but a machine nonetheless. Its designation was 'Human Imitation and Infiltration Unit #1' but Ray Pierre had always called it Hiiu. Hiiu had been Ray's caretaker, teacher, and companion for the past forever. It had taught him everything he could've learned from humans, had he not been the last.

Ray gave a long sigh before he turned, yawning and stretching as he walked towards the rooftop’s door, Hiiu following as always.

“Would you like for me to explain the procedure once again?” asked Hiiu in her familiar, monotone voice.

“Please do,” responded Ray as he walked with confidence and intent, opening the door to the building and becoming engulfed in the concrete and metal tiling.

“You and I will be transported to Parallel Universe #317, Laniakea Supercluster, Local Group Galaxy Group, Milky Way Galaxy, Sol’s Solar System, Earth, North America, United States of America, New Jersey, Outskirts of Gotham City. Human Imitation and Infiltration Unit #2 will be brought along as a secondary support for your plan. You should already possess a Lumien Transponder Version 518 and JarCo Personal Non-Lethal Defensive Sidearm Model 316 on your person. Should you require additional support from the Prime Universe, you may direct any human-made machines or human-made-machine descendants inside the Prime Universe via your Lumien Transponder Version 518. As you are the sole remaining descendant of the list of humans provided by the Empire of Man’s Machine Articles, Article 6, Section 3, we will only ever follow your commands and instructions. Any other beings, whether they consider themselves human or not, will be ignored except for the sake of your commands, instructions, desires, and wishes. Should you become endangered in the course of your activities, Surveillance and Intelligence Android #98 or any equivalent high-functioning machine will engage Safety Protocol #17238 in which you will be automatically moved back to the Prime Universe. Should Safety Protocol #17238 fail, Safety Protocol #17239 will be engaged in which machines classified as personnel-protection-class sentinels and guardians will be appropriately deployed until Safety Protocol #17238 may be fully initiated and completed without error or threat to your person. If Safety Protocol #17238 cannot be fully initiated and completed without error or threat to your person, the machines deployed via Safety Protocol #17239 will be directed to neutralize the threat in any manner possible, temporarily or permanently via your instructions. Should you desire to return to the Prime Universe, simply state your desire into your Lumien Transponder Version 518. Should your Lumien Transponder Version 518 fail, break, or become in any manner erroneous, simply activate your Lumien Mind-Monitor Version 211 and give instructions via your Lumien Mind-Monitor Version 211. Should both your Lumien Transponder Version 518 and Lumien Mind-Monitor Version 211 become in any manner erroneous, direct machines in your local group to broadcast your instructions to the Prime Universe via your psionic link. Should you be unable to use your psionic link or are unable to contact a machine with your psionic link, please standby in a safe manner until a machine is sent to your area to investigate your safety, which is estimated as to take about one hour from the moment your psionic link ceases with any and all man-made machines or man-made-machine descendants. Any questions?”

Ray shook his head as they entered a large, circular chamber with many machines whirring and clicking about, their indicator lights and metal forms in stark contrast to the human-looking Hiiu. It smelled like oil and blood.

“Please stand on the raised metal platform with your feet and upper body inside the circled area,” said Hiiu in her monotone voice as Ray nodded reflexively.

Ray walked forward onto a hollow, metal platform that rang loudly against the impact of his boots.

“I’m ready to begin,” he said calmly.

Hiiu nodded. “It will take approximately five minutes until I arrive. Please remain safe and minimize contact until I arrive.”  
Ray nodded as he felt the machine around him begin to whir to life, a massive metal ball descending from the ceiling to wrap and spin around him. Then, the universe was lifeless.


	2. A Strange Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Genius, prodigy, mastermind, expert fighter, expert ninja, master of vigilantism, hero of Gotham.  
> Barbara Gordon was all these things and humble.  
> Of course, being all the aforementioned things, Barbara meets a lot of strange people, such as the strange man she meets in this chapter.

A startingly-gorgeous, fair, young woman with flowing, ginger hair and sparkling, blue eyes stood at the ledge of a roof, stretching and groaning as her snug, black outfit slowly allowed her movement. Even in the darkness of the night, one could probably see the ample bosom of D-sized breasts and girlish hips the young girl possessed, though not the vast wealth of power and muscle hidden underneath a slim appearance. She wore a black mask that hid her upper face and a full-body suit with black gloves and boots. All her clothes happened to be adorned with the symbol of a bat. She was Barbara Gordon, or Batgirl as she was more commonly known around the City of Gotham. Very few knew she was Barbara at all, but it was probably good to keep it that way.

A bright flash of light from below Batgirl brought her out of her reverie. She paused. When had someone moved down there? She shook herself, knowing a distraction during a nightly crusade could spell the end at any moment. She knelt and looked closer at the boy that had appeared during her distraction. He was tall, and lean, with startling red eyes and hair the color of a soft night. He wore an ordinary suit that hid his profile well, but Batgirl’s eyes were well-trained. Underneath those clothes, he was muscular and powerful, and his movements proved it. In fact, he was strangely muscular, especially despite his lean physique. Of course, that was more similar to the pot calling the kettle black with Batgirl around.

Batgirl watched as a multitude of unsavory men, common thugs she often booked into jail that seemed to break out every other week, blocked the young man’s way in the dim light. The thugs were wielding crude pipes and baseball bats, and one was even holding a katana, though not properly. She sighed as she stood, stretching a bit more and preparing to leap to the young man’s rescue.

Batgirl grabbed her grappling hook from her utility belt and aimed it for a pipe on the way down, hoping to catch a good bit of momentum and the element of surprise. She aimed herself at the middle of the group of thugs and fired her hook, hearing the whir and click of the small device as it latched onto the pipe and pulled her off the roof, down towards the thugs.

* * *

Ray Pierre felt his surroundings shift and change as he was suddenly in a dark, damp alleyway. It felt ordinary, normal, boring. Several metal pipes above extended outwards from the brick walls of the alleyway, zigzagging in every direction. They too were ordinary, normal, and boring. Yet, somehow, Ray felt exhilarated and excited. He was shaking with anticipation as he spotted a group of gruff-looking ruffians and waved with a dark smile across his face. They weren’t ordinary, normal, or boring—at least, not to Ray. The ruffians looked to each other before smirking and stepping forward, pointing out their crude clubs and spears with a distinct, threatening manner towards the stranger. Ray merely smiled back, taking a familiar, harmless-looking stance with his hands clasped behind his back as the ruffians inched forward.

“Strip your pockets, little m-” The speaking ruffian’s words were cutoff by the sharp clang of his face against a boot as a masked figure shrouded in black slammed into him. The figure was distinctly feminine and dangerous as it spun through several other bandits in a flash. 

Ray was almost enjoying the show as he merely watched as long as he could before two ruffians decided to swing at him from opposing sides. Ray didn’t specifically know why they were swinging at him instead of the obvious danger that was smacking their friends around, but the mere act of swinging at him was reason enough to take them both out, which Ray did as he easily ducked between both of the crude pipes the men were using and arced his boot into the nearest bandit’s nether regions before swinging his boot around to hit the other bandit’s nether regions while simultaneously dodging that bandit’s follow-up swing, all while keeping his hands clasped behind his back and a dark smile across his face.

“You alright?” asked a high-pitched, girly voice from behind that was heaving with exhaustion. Ray’s smile brightened as he turned to find the black-clad figure was already done with the show and staring at him through a mask.

Ray gave a low bow as Hiiu’s teachings reflexively kicked in. “Indeed I am, thanks to you. May I ask who you are?” He had never actually spoken to another being before, but he had spent many years preparing and practicing. Plenty of visual aids in the form of television shows had helped.

The figure seemed confused for a moment at Ray’s words, before responding, “People around here call me Batgirl. You must be new here?”   
Ray straightened and nodded, “I arrived just today, in fact.”   
Batgirl gave a curt nod and turned. “Stay safe,” she said as she pulled out a small device and shot it off towards a building’s roof.   
“You too,” responded Ray as Batgirl was pulled away by the small device.

“I asked you to remain safe and avoid contact 5.31 minutes ago,” gave a monotone voice as Hiiu appeared out of a flash of light behind Ray.

Ray smirked and turned, shrugging. “I’m not hurt,” he claimed.

Hiiu didn’t respond as she looked about at the disabled bodies around her. Most of them were unconscious or unable to pay attention, but the few that were found themselves quickly tranquilized as Hiiu shot them with a small gun.

“When’s Two getting here?” asked Ray as he straightened his cuffs.

“Approximately 4.49 minutes from now,” responded Hiiu as she finished tranquilizing the conscious and soon-to-be-conscious thugs.


	3. Meetings by Fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ray finds himself meeting individuals that will help him move his plans forward.

“Batman?” asked Ray as he set about loading some crates onto a semi-truck. He was in a warehouse filled with crates, two beautiful machines among those crates. One of them was Hiiu, familiar and wearing a simple, feminine suit with a long skirt that split at the sides, while the other was Two. Two was a creation nearly as old as Hiiu, and every bit as beautiful with nearly the exact same skin and body, but a slimmer face and a long, wavy, blue mane that seemed more like fur than hair, fitting Two’s clothing—a large, blue cloak lined with white fur. Two’s soft-blue eyes were every bit as dull as Hiiu’s.

“A vigilante in this city, he is most active during the night and has little to no powers. He is, however, either highly intelligent or incredibly lucky,” said Two in a girlish, monotone voice as she lifted and easily tossed crates perfectly from the warehouse floor into the truck.

“Most of the heroes here don’t use their powers to its fullest, judging by how the Flash or Superman don’t just use their superspeed to eliminate all crime in a single night,” commented Ray as he moved some crates from the warehouse to the large truck.

“There is a high likelihood that their maximum speed can only be sustained for short bursts,” responded Hiiu.

“I’ve seen the footage, and I get the sense that you’re underestimating them. So, who are the other heroes in this city?” asked Ray.

“Batgirl, Huntress, Batwoman, Spoiler, Orphan, Bluebird, Zata-... Master,” said Two as she abruptly stopped the list and pointed towards the edges of the warehouse. The target of Two’s finger was a young woman with strange, orange skin and vibrant, glowing, neon-green eyes. Her hair was the color of flames, and she wore a purple cloth that revealed as much skin as it hid, tight to the woman’s body and revealing a plump set of extravagant, E-sized breasts. On top of the purple cloth she wore a sparse set of silver-colored armor that largely covered her extremities, each piece inlaid with a single gem the color of her eyes.

“Activating defensive protocols,” spoke Hiiu and Two simultaneously as they stepped in between Ray and the green-eyed stranger while drawing a set of pistols out of their clothing. Ray merely grabbed their arms and wordlessly shook his head at them before stepping forward with a strong smile and an extended hand towards the stranger.

“Hello, my name is-” Before Ray could finish, the woman grabbed his hand and pulled him forwards, causing Hiiu and Two to aim their weapons as Ray found himself entering an embrace with the stranger as she kissed him on the lips. She tasted sweet, like cherry-flavored candy. She smelled like tangerines.

Ray pulled himself away, wiping his mouth with his right sleeve.

“Hello, I am Starfire,” she said as she smiled and spoke with a melodious, young voice.

“Hello?” she asked again as she stepped dangerously-close to Ray, who was still staring at his sleeve.

“Was that what is known as a kiss?” asked Ray as he turned towards Hiiu with a slightly-stunned expression.

Starfire grabbed onto his arm while smiling. “I believe it was what is known as a kiss in your language!” Hiiu nodded in agreement.

“So, why did you kiss me?” asks Ray as he attempts to gently slide Starfire further away from him.

“My kind are able to acquire languages by mouth-to-mouth contact, or kissing as it is otherwise known as,” spoke Starfire as she shuffled a few steps back at the behest of Ray.

“Your kind?” asked Ray as he straightened his sleeves while looking at her.   
“I am a Tamaranean from Tamaran. I have come to Earth to flee from the Citadel, an empire that… that has enslaved my people,” Starfire sounded distressed and almost about to cry as she put her hands to her eyes. “I- I can’t… It’s-” Starfire attempted to speak multiple times, but stopped herself every time as she attempted to put on a brave face and hide her tears.

Ray felt something move in him that he had never felt before. It was dark and sinister, as if a great leviathan were moving in the depths of his stomach, twisting and turning as massive waves crashed against the walls of his body. He pushed past the leviathan and embraced Starfire in an attempt to comfort her, something he had learned from Hiiu’s teachings and the many shows and games he had gone through while in the Prime Universe.

“It’s alright. Everything will be fine,” said Ray as he slowly stroked Starfire’s back, “I’ll help however I can. You can stay with me until you figure out what to do.” Ray turned to Hiiu and Two, ripping off his right sleeve and handing it to Two. “Finish loading the truck,” he mouthed to Hiiu as silently as he could.

* * *

 

A truck pulled into a grey, old courtyard. The ground was rough gravel, the surrounding buildings old and torn, stone gargoyles staring down judgement from above. There were men strewn about the yard and in the buildings, on balconies and peering through windows, firearms in hand as they watched the truck with large smiles on their faces. A group of men and one girl walked outside from one of the buildings, four tall and muscular men with giant grins on their faces surrounding one lean man with white skin in purple cloth and a terrifying smile on the man’s red lips. The man’s hair was a blackish-green, and the man’s dangerous lips were humming a cheerful tune as he swung his arms with jolly. The girl beside him was just as smiling. She wore a red and black clown outfit with a similarly colored hat that jingled with two large bells adorned at the ends of the hat’s two tails. Her face was painted white, and her snug clown outfit revealed a set of C-sized breasts.

“Sugarplum, these morons need to learn how to set an appointment! Not even stalkers are this rude!” screamed the girl angrily as she swung a large sledgehammer on the ground as if it were made of paper, but it wasn’t as evidenced by the cloud of dust erupting from her strike. As the girl said this, four figures emerged from the truck wearing red cloaks that covered their bodies entirely but for the masks on their faces. Of the four, three were clearly feminine due to a well-endowed chest on each of those three figures which projected outwards and disrupted their cloak’s form. The mask on the figure without such a large endowment was simple, white, plain, with the only holes being two slits for the eyes. Another mask, the one on the smallest figure, was mainly white, but with large, bright, blue stripes moving from the large, round holes for the blue eyes that shown underneath to the hole for a rather feminine, plush-lipped mouth. The next mask was nearly white in its entirety with two holes for two blue eyes and a hole for a red-lipped mouth, but there was a red stripe across the top of the mask. The last mask was almost all orange, but a small white dot was placed in the forehead. It only had two slits for two hidden eyes, similar to the completely-white mask.

“Now, darling, it’s not their fault,” spoke the purple-clothed man as he turned to the girl next to him, smacking her heavily, “It was the morons at the gate!” The man pulled a revolver from his pocket and fired it at two men who had been standing near the entrance of the courtyard. The men fell to the ground, a cold smile on their lips as a dark, red liquid pooled around them, seeping into the ground.

The figure with the plain mask stepped forward, speaking in a high, masculine tone that sounded altered, “Hello, monsieur Joker, my name is Jonathan Joestar and these are my associates. We have come to help you.” The figure spoke with a heavy french accent.

The man with white skin, Joker, frowned, eyeing Jonathan. “You’re not French, are you?” he asked with suspicion.

“And you are not sane,” responded Jonathan as he continued his accent.

Joker’s frown darkened as his eyes wandered over the four figures, eyeing the orange-masked one in particular as it seemed to fidget before looking back to Jonathan and suddenly shifting to a smile. “Sanity is overrated!” The Joker laughed out as he stepped forward, extending a hand to shake which Jonathan met. “Besides, if you’re here to help then you’re a friend. What’cha got in the truck, friend?”

Jonathan nodded, stepping over to the back of the truck as the Joker followed. “ My associates and I, unfortunately, cannot stay too long, but I think you’ll like this. It’s just a small bit of aid to help you.” Jonathan opens the truck, revealing a multitude of crates in the back. He pulls one out, flipping the lid off to reveal a cache of explosives and guns. “Most of these have conventional weaponry, but a few contain some nasty chemicals I’m sure you can put to use however you want to.”

“I may be happy to see such wonderful toys in my house, but I’m not a fool. What do you want in return?” asked the Joker.

Jonathan turned to him, extending a hand. “A long, happy, healthy relationship with a good friend.”

The Joker gave a dark smile as he began to laugh, shaking Jonathan’s hand vigorously as the Joker’s entire body shook with laughter.


	4. Simple Questions, Robotic Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Starfire questions her new friends.

“Why did you give that human weapons? He is clearly dangerous and not someone you can trust!” accused Starfire as Ray drove an empty truck down a small street that was barely big enough for the one truck. Hiiu and Two silently sat in the back as Ray pulled the truck over as much as he could on the small street, stopping it, and looked at Starfire with determination.

“Calm down,” said Ray calmly.

“Why would you desire the extermination of innocent lives?!?” screamed Starfire, her rage showing.

“Listen to me. I’m not doing this to hurt anyone,” said Ray as he looked at Starfire unflinchingly.

“Then why give him weapons?” asked Starfire as her rage continued to flow, though stuttering briefly.

Ray gave a reassuring smile. “So he’ll trust us.”  
“Why do you need him to trust you?” questioned Starfire, her voice singed with anger and suspicion.

“I want to fix him, and every criminal inside Arkham Asylum, a nearby prison. I have technology that is able to do that, and nothing as weak as sitting them in a chair with another flawed being asking them questions,” responded Ray without breaking eye-contact with Starfire. “The Joker plans to have himself locked away tomorrow night in Arkham Asylum after Batman ‘defeats’ Joker. He’ll then attempt to escape using that girl that was by his side, Harley Quinn. Fortunately for Harley, we’ll be there to assist her and bring them all conveniently to our base.”

“The weapons we gave the Joker are fully functional, but the Joker has been planning to get the Batman to purposefully lock him up and send him to Arkham Asylum so that he can break the rest of the people in Arkham Asylum out for a long time. He will most likely be captured before the weapons can be used,” spoke Hiiu.

“I do not like this. It feels wrong, like something a villain would do,” commented Starfire. “Besides, what if your calculations are wrong? What if they use those weapons to hurt people?”

Ray paused and sighed, gripping the steering wheel tightly for a moment as his head leaned back against his seat. “Then, I will take responsibility.”

* * *

 

“You are not ordinary humans, are you?” asked Starfire as she slouched in a large, red, leather chair. She was in a sleek, black ship that was hovering off the ground directly outside Arkham Asylum. While the ship had windows to see out, apparently nobody could see in or even see the ship at all. Two was at the pilot’s chair towards the front of the entire ship, looking blank and lifeless until Starfire spoke.

“I am not human at all, and neither is Hiiu,” responded Two. “We are machines, both designated as Human Imitation and Infiltration Units. She is the first, and I am the second. Only Ray is human.”

“I did not know this planet had such technologies. It seemed far more primitive when I was planning out where to go,” commented Starfire thoughtfully.

“This planet does not possess such technologies. We, like you, are from another world. Our world is in a parallel universe, and it is designated as Gaia,” spoke Two.

“A parallel universe? What kinds of people does this parallel universe have?” asked Starfire as she sat up on her chair and looked excitedly-intrigued.

“Currently, none,” responded Two blankly.

“None? What do you mean?” asked Starfire.

“There is no sentient being remaining within the Prime Universe,” responded Two blankly.

“What happened to them?” asked Starfire as she stood off her chair and walked over to Two, slouching against Two’s chair.

“Universal extinction. Only Ray remains, and he is no longer in the Prime Universe. You are one of the first living, sentient beings he has ever met. You should feel honored.”

Starfire paused, thinking for a moment as a slight blush of embarrassment came to her cheeks. “I suppose I do feel honored, but… I’m not sure if I’ve made a good impression for all other living beings…”

“Ray seems to appreciate your presence,” responded Two.

Starfire felt her blush deepen. “He is pretty nice… and he smells good too.”

Two paused, turning and analyzing Starfire for a moment with unmoving, blue eyes. “Potential mating partner for Ray detected, analyzing genetic compatibility.”

Starfire jumped, shaking her head quickly. “Oh, no, I was not…”

“Analyzed. Genetic structure incompatible. Extensive genetic rework required.”

Starfire froze, her face covered in confusion. “What do you mean?” Starfire asked, her face giving off a slight blush. “My people… are able to have children with humans.”

“Ray is not like most humans, even the dead ones within the Prime Universe. His system was vastly modified in numerous manners to provide him peak abilities and remove inconveniences or malicious flaws in his genetic design. The chances of any one being in all other universes within the Prime Multiverse being compatible with Ray is 10-9999. Incompatible mates will require a genetic reworking of their gametes in order to become compatible, and may require further genetic manipulation.”

Starfire paused, before grinning with a sly smirk. “What is the chance of Ray finding a mate?”

Two paused, her blank eyes staring at nothing for several long moments before Two looked at Starfire. “The chance of Ray finding a mate is greater than 100%. In the event he fails to find a natural-born mate, the machines of the Prime Universe are prepared to begin the process of constructing an artificial womb and-”

“That’s enough information!” responded Starfire as her face became a bright red. She paused as she fidgeted for a moment. “Does Ray like… _like_ me?”

“Unknown. Calculated chances are 98.2%,” responded Two while turning to the flying console and putting on a red cloak and a mask with blue stripes. “I recommend putting on your clothes and sitting down to engage your seatbelt.”

Starfire hurriedly wore her orange mask and red cloak while jumping over to her seat and felt the belt clasp her in as the back of the ship opened to let Ray and Hiiu in, both in their disguises with Hiiu wearing a red-striped mask and Ray wearing a plain, white mask. Following them was a group of many unfamiliar faces flushed with excitement and tension.

“Let us be off,” spoke Ray in an altered, unfamiliar, high voice with a slight French accent.


	5. A Tangling Question

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ray and company arrive at Ray's base.

Rows and rows of machines sat in the vast field of concrete and metal as a group of people walked along an elevated walkway in the middle of the field. The walkway led towards a large, concrete building with no windows and a single, solid, metal door.

“Welcome, friends!” spoke a red-cloaked Ray behind a white mask in a cheerful, French-accented voice that was shifted higher than normal, “This is my humble abode, yours to use as you see fit! Please, explore! Find what you like, use what you want, and remember to stay happy!”

He was followed by Hiiu, Two, and Starfire, all three of whom were in red cloaks and with their own distinctive masks. Behind the two machines and one girl was a deadly woman with long, red hair and vines forming a dress along her tanned skin that seemed to give off a green glint in the sun. Directly to the left of that woman was Harley Quinn, a smile on her face too wide for her head. The Joker was just behind Harley, laughing and giggling as a man in a green suit and green hat told strange riddles while walking with a cane. A gigantic monster of rock and mud slurped after the Joker, taking up enough space to rival a car. Behind the gigantic rock-monster was a small man with a ridiculously-large, green top-hat and a green jacket. Beside him was another man, much taller, and encased in a strange suit with a glass dome for his head. The suit gave off a cold frost and every step froze the ground where the man walked.

As the many people dispersed, Starfire moved next to Ray and waited until the villains were all gone. “Are you sure it is alright for you to let them do whatever they want?” asked Starfire once she, Ray, and his machines were all that were left.

“No, but my machines will have them in custody soon. I can begin the remediation process shortly. Any requests as to who you would like me to start with?” asked Ray.

“You’re asking me?” Ray smiled and nodded. Starfire paused and thought for a moment before responding, “I think that man surrounded by cold could use our help first.”  
“Ah, yes, Mister Victor Fries. According to our surveillance, he shows signs of derangement, malevolence, and delusions. Claims he has a wife, Nora Fields, though he and this Nora Fields have never truly met. She’s been stuck in a stasis long before Fries knew her name. His affinity to the cold was granted to him through a one-in-a-million chance encounter with a pipe filled with cryo-fluid that he happened to break open. Hiiu?” Ray looked to Hiiu’s cloaked figure.

“I recommend a full detox of his system to flush any cryo-fluid out, then genetic reparations for any damage from the cryo-fluid, followed by a temporary-regeneration serum administration. Subject should then undergo intensive psychotherapy along with appropriate psychoactive drugs in order to stabilize his condition. Drugs administered should be based on whatever he requires once he has gone through the serum administration and a short evaluation,” responded Hiiu in a monotone voice.

Ray nods. “Let us begin.”

* * *

 

Ray extended a hand to Starfire. He was smiling a joyous, sincere smile that nearly blinded Starfire due to the contrast from his usual, grumpy demeanor. They were in a ballroom, with a soft violin playing in the background—courtesy of Two. Starfire was dressed in a long, purple gown while Ray was in a classic, princely suit.

Starfire clasped his hand, feeling its smooth, olive skin. “I admit, I’ve rarely danced before,” spoke Ray with a charming smile as he pulled Starfire close and clasped his other hand along her gown’s back.

“I am happy to teach you how to dance,” responded Starfire as she began to step in time to the music, Ray’s footsteps beginning out choppy and sloppy after hers. “Just try to move on your own and follow the music. I am good enough to follow wherever you move.”

“This style of dancing is quite different from your homeworld’s, right? How did you learn it?” asked Ray as he concentrated on moving his feet properly, to a small effect.

“This style of dancing is actually quite similar to a number of other planets’ style of dancing. One of those planets was near my homeworld and I was taught its customs for diplomacy,” answered Starfire as she moved alongside Ray, angling him into practicing the proper steps with her own.

“Hiiu tells me your people are monogamous?” asks Ray as he gives an embarrassed smile as he attempts to follow Starfire’s complicated footwork.

“Don’t follow, lead,” comments Starfire as she shifts her footwork to encourage Ray to lead. “That is true. Aren’t yours?”  
“ _Weren’t_ yours might be more proper, they’re long dead. And… no, no they weren’t. Humans from other realms seem very satisfied to have a single partner, but my people were… different. They had no qualms with sharing partners. I don’t think I could live in their shoes, nor the shoes of other humans.” Ray paused, shaking himself for a moment before trying to dance again, his feet more precise and skilled this time.

“Then what shoes would you desire to live in? That of your machines?” asks Starfire as she follows Ray’s feet with vastly more skill than Ray.

Ray laughs. “No. I don’t think most of them wear shoes. I suppose I’ll have to fit my own shoes. Polygyny, without polyandry seems far more suitable to me, though perhaps for my own selfishness and greed than anything else.”

Starfire looks at Ray for a moment, her feet stopping as she feels his words. “That is not very fair, is it?”

“It’s not equal, but it is fair. I’m not forcing anyone to do anything. I mean, that’s my excuse, but I’m simply setting the terms of the bond we would have which seems appropriate to me. If they cannot accept it, I would be happy to help them find someone else,” replied Ray as he began to pick up his feet, moving more swiftly as he seemed to absorb Starfire’s skill in dancing.

“You would put terms on love?” questions Starfire as she finds herself using almost all her skill attempting to keep up with Ray as he swings her about, the violin music in the background becoming more energetic as they dance about.

“Those are the terms of my heart. If someone wants it, they’ll have to accept it.” Ray twirls Starfire into the air, catching her as she leans against his arms and parallel to the floor, looking up into a face clouded by the lights on the ceiling. The room is mostly silent, the only sound erupting from the heaving of Starfire and Ray’s sides.

“You learn quickly,” comments Starfire.

“I have a teacher to impress,” replies Ray.


End file.
